2006 Chevrolet Malibu Interior & seats Problems

HEATED SEAT MALFUNCTION: TURNED HEATED SEAT ON LOWEST NUMBER AS WE LEFT HOME AND WITHIN ABOUT 1/4 OF A MILE THE SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT ON MY SONS BOTTOM AND WE STARTED SMELLING A SCENT OF BURNING. MY SON IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE HEATED SEAT AND RAISED UP OFF THE SEAT UNTIL I COULD GET THE CAR PULLED OVER. WHEN HE GOT OUT WE SAW A HOLE HAD BURNED INTO THE SEAT. IT ALSO BURNED A SMALL HOLE IN HIS PANTS. HE COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED IF WE HAD OF NOT BEEN ABLE TO PULL OVER QUICKLY.

NHTSA ID

11079054

Incident

Mar 14, 2018

Mileage

80,263 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BCM WAS CONTROLLING THE CHARGING OF THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH DAMAGED THE BEARINGS AND ALTERNATOR. THE BEARINGS AND ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR, THE POWER STEERING, HEADLIGHTS, AND ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHEN THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, THE DOORS INDEPENDENTLY LOCKED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V224000 (POWER TRAIN), 14V153000 (STEERING), AND 14V252000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,000.

NHTSA ID

10979025

Incident

Apr 18, 2017

Mileage

199,000 mi

I GOT INTO MY 2006 CHEVY MALIBU LTZ (I'M NOT AN OVERWEIGHT PERSON, I WEIGH 192LBS AT 6FT TALL) AND THE FRONT SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS AND TO THE RIGHT. APPARENTLY THE SUPPORT BAR UNDERNEATH THE SEAT HAD BROKEN AT THE WELD. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST NEARLY $1000 TO REPAIR AS THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT SEAT. SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET SHOW THIS IS APPARENTLY A PRETTY WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING OR DURING AN ACCIDENT, I MAY HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR OR BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AS THE COLLAPSE WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENTLY THREW ME BACKWARDS. I REALLY THINK CHEVY SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. AS I NOTED ABOVE, THE BREAK WAS AT THE WELD NOT IN THE BAR ITSELF. THIS MEANS THAT EITHER THEY NEED BETTER WELDS OR MORE SUPPORT UNDERNEATH THE SEAT.

NHTSA ID

10749882

Incident

Jun 2, 2015

Mileage

115,300 mi

I PARKED MY CAR AND LOCKED THE DOORS UP FOR THE NIGHT, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER NIGHT, BUT THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I TRIED TO START MY CAR THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. I KNEW I HAD NOT LEFT ANYTHING ON TO RUN IT DOWN. AFTER GETTING THE BATTERY CHARGED AND MY CAR STARTED I HEADED OFF TO WORK ABOUT 5 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE MY DOOR LOCKS STARTED GOING CRAZY UNLOCKING THEM SELVES AND MAKING A CLICKING NOISE THIS CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN I GOT TO WORK I LOCKED THE CAR UP AND WENT TO WORK GOT OFF WORK TO FIND OUT THE BATTERY AGAIN WAS DEAD. AND THIS TIME MY DOORS WERE UNLOCKED. I HAD THIS PROBLEM ON AND OFF FOR THE NEXT WEEK UNTIL I HAD TO BUY A NEW BATTERY. THE NEW BATTERY SEEMED TO FIX THE ISSUE SO I THOUGHT. BUT ONCE AGAIN IT STARTED UNLOCKING ITS SELF REPEATEDLY, I HAVE GOTTEN USE TO IT ACTING UP AND PRETTY MUCH OVER LOOK IT WHEN IT DOES IT, BUT IT STILL HAPPENS A FEW TIMES A WEEK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10691714

Incident

Oct 23, 2014

Mileage

165,000 mi

DRIVERS SEAT BROKE, THE LATCH THAT SECURES IT TO THE FLOOR.

NHTSA ID

10538024

Incident

Aug 15, 2013

Mileage

67,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY CHEVY MALIBU BRAND NEW IN 2006. I HAVE JUST TURNED 60,000 MILES HOWEVER MY DRIVER SEAT BRACKET HAS BEEN BROKE SINCE 49,000 MILES. THIS IS THE SECOND LEMON VEHICLE I HAVE BOUGHT THAT IS A GM PRODUCT. I HAVE HAD 3 STEERING SHAFTS ALSO REPLACED. I JUST WISH GM WOULD LOOK AT THIS AS A SAFETY HAZARD. IF THEY ARE WILLING TO SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT OUR LIVES ARE AT RISK THEN SO BE IT. WHAT HAPPENED TO STANDING BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED FOR ALL CHEVY MALIBU OWNERS. IT IS A DEATH TRAP!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10421407

Incident

Oct 15, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi

MY 2006 CHEVY MALIBU DRIVERS SEAT BROKE, DRIVERS SEAT FRAME WELD BROKE, SEAT IS VERY UNSTABLE AND ROCKS. I HAD TO PHYSICALLY MOVE THE SEAT TO THE LOWEST LEVEL AND NOW THE SEAT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395691

Incident

Aug 5, 2010

Mileage

79,000 mi

38K MILE 2006 CHEVY MALIBU V-6-CAR SHAKES/VIBRATES/SHIMMIES. IT ALSO RATTLES AND CLUNKS UNDERNEATH AT ALL SPEEDS, FEELS LIKE THE BOTTOM IS FALLING OUT. DEALER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A MINIMUM OF 7 COMPLAINTS. HEADLIGHTS LENSES ARE LOOSE AND THE LIGHTS SHAKE ALL OVER THE PLACE. DEALER DID FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGE HEADLIGHT ISSUE AFTER THE 4TH COMPLAINT AND I WAS TOLD IT IS A GM PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE NO FIX AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. NOW THAT THE WARRANTY IS UP, THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGING ALL PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS (MANY MORE THAN JUST THE COUPLE I LISTED HERE) BUT AT MY EXPENSE WHEN THESE ISSUES S/H/B TAKEN CARE OF AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL AND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262590

Incident

May 30, 2006

Mileage

2,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY CHEVROLET MALIBU IN DEC. OF 2006. IT IS A 2006. I NOTICED THAT ANYTIME IT RAINED OR I HAD A GLASS OF WATER IN THE CAR THE SEATS WOULD STAIN DUE TO THE WATER GETTING ON THEM. I TOOK IT BACK TO MAROON CHEVROLET & THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ODD. I TOLD THEM I DO NOT WANT A CAR THAT STAINS WATER. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY WOULD CLEAN IT & SCOTCH GUARD IT & IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN, HE SAID THEY WOULD PUT NEW SEATS IN. WHEN I PICKED IT UP, THE SERVICE MANAGER ASSURED ME IT WOULD NOT STAIN WATER AGAIN & GAVE ME A PRINT OUT ON HOW TO CLEAN & WHAT TO CLEAN IT WITH FOR EACH SPILL. I TOLD HIM I'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING IN MY CAR EXCEPT WATER. ON THE LIST HE GAVE ME WAS NOTHING IN REGARDS TO WATER STAINS ANYWAYS. WELL WE ARE IN THE RAINING SEASON NOW & IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER, WHO KEPT AVOIDING ME & FINALLY GOT ANOTHER MANAGER, WHO SAID THEY CANNOT GIVE ME NEW SEATS BUT WOULD CLEAN IT AGAIN. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO KEEP BRINGING MY CAR BACK TO GET CLEANED? I'M SURE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO KEEP CLEANING IT. I KNOW SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS A MAZDA THAT DOES THE SAME THING. I DON'T WANT TO KEEP A CAR FOR 5 YEARS THAT I HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON ALL THE TIME TO CLEAN. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK YOU CAN GIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10198546

Incident

May 22, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR HEADRESTS BLOCK THE VIEW OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIANS. THE DEALER TOOK OFF THE HEADRESTS AND TOLD THE CONTACT TO PUT THEM BACK ON IF SOMEONE RIDES IN THE REAR SEAT FOR SAFETY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10159392

Incident

Jun 9, 2006

Mileage

750 mi